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Best hybrid bass head

#82
gtirard said:
Also, if you are looking for a full tube amp without the weight:
Rheingold B100 (100W 10 Kg)
Pure Tone Amp Offset XL (100W 7.1 Kg) or the Nautilus (120W 9 Kg)

That, with a super efficient cab, like a Barefaced Big Twin or a GR Bass 212 or 610, and you can build a super lightweight rig.
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For example:
A 300W SVT head + 810 fridge give you a max SPL of 124 dB for a total weight of 111.3 Kg / 245.4 Lbs
A 100W head(*) + a GR Bass 212 give you a max SPL of 123 dB for a total weight of 19 Kg / 42 Lbs
A 100W head(*) + a GR Bass 610 give you a max SPL of 126 dB for a total weight of 27.5 Kg / 60 Lbs

(*) could be one of the 3 examples I gave, or a Traynor YBA100
 
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#83
LVannerson said:
Curious about your opinions out there. What’s the best hybrid head out there? Must have an all tube pre. Any price. Thanks!
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Why it must be hybrid? What it does that full solid state does not? IMO better to take what sounds the best no matter how it is engineered. Some modern hybrids may have a single preamp tube mostly for gimmicks and marketing. I'm quite sure that Ampeg SVT-7 Pro would be made sound the same without tube but Ampeg fans would not accept it that widely.
 
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#85
paskisti said:
Why it must be hybrid? What it does that full solid state does not? IMO better to take what sounds the best no matter how it is engineered. Some modern hybrids may have a single preamp tube mostly for gimmicks and marketing. I'm quite sure that Ampeg SVT-7 Pro would be made sound the same without tube but Ampeg fans would not accept it that widely.
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I’ve has class d amps and i just think the ones I’ve played with tube pres sound closer to a full tube amp.
 
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#86
LVannerson said:
Thanks! Weight does matter. In a perfect world I would get an early 70s SVT and 8x10 but so freaking heavy. I’m looking for real tube tone in something around 10 lbs or so. I looked at the Sadowsky sa 200. All tube and about 35 lbs but it’s $5000 and I know I can get the sound for lighter and cheaper. Yes I have various high end cabs I would use. Thanks
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The Sadowsky looks interesting but like you said, not a hybrid and a lot more heavy than any modern hybrid amps.

FWIW I think the Orange Terror is (almost) within 10 lbs but obviously bigger than other Class D hybrids.

Still, in my opinion a "real tube tone" means output tubes and, perhaps more importantly, heavy output transformers. This is a HUGE part of "the tube tone" in my opinion. In fact, using a good quality tube preamp pedal in front of a solid state amp might get you as close to a "real tube tone" as most modern hybrid amps. I know this probably isn't what you want to hear but to me the "real tube tone" isn't really there without output tubes and those, huge, heavy output transformers.

Part of the picture is also the dynamic response/"feel" of the amp, rather than just the tone. If you're used to playing modern solid state amps this might not matter as much. I'm used to playing "old school" tube amps and I have yet to find a modern Class D amps that doesn't "feel" too fast and stiff for my taste. They don't seem to make the speaker move in the same way and I don't enjoy playing them as much, even though they SOUND great. I vastly prefer the dynamics of all-tube amps but that's simply because that's what I've always played (well, apart from the solid state Peavey I started out with). I even like tube amps with tube rectifiers, which will probably feel far too "slow" and sagging for most bass players used to modern solid state amps.

You might still love both the tone and the "feel" of many modern hybrids of course. Just don't expect them to sound, and definitely not "feel", like a heavy all-tube amp.
 
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#87
Agree. I’m used to playing solid state amps. But I got a David Eden wt800 several years ago and even that 1 tube seemed to be different. Then a couple of years ago I played through an old SVT and 8x10 on stage that was a friends rig and I was blown away. Now I’m trying to figure out how to get that in a smaller package. I’m a long time guitar player too so trust me I understand the value of a tube power stage. Just looking for the unicorn I guess. Thanks.
 
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#91
paskisti said:
Why it must be hybrid? What it does that full solid state does not? IMO better to take what sounds the best no matter how it is engineered. Some modern hybrids may have a single preamp tube mostly for gimmicks and marketing. I'm quite sure that Ampeg SVT-7 Pro would be made sound the same without tube but Ampeg fans would not accept it that widely.
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I don't think so in this case, the tube gain stages are based on high voltage and very much like those on the SVT preamps.
 
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#92
gtirard said:
Also, if you are looking for a full tube amp without the weight:
Rheingold B100 (100W 10 Kg)
Pure Tone Amp Offset XL (100W 7.1 Kg) or the Nautilus (120W 9 Kg)

That, with a super efficient cab, like a Barefaced Big Twin or a GR Bass 212 or 610, and you can build a super lightweight rig.
Click to expand...

Hey man, do you think that B100 can compare to class D amps with 500W... by compare I mean how loud can it be?
 
#94
DELACIUS said:
Hey man, do you think that B100 can compare to class D amps with 500W... by compare I mean how loud can it be?
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No, I'm not saying a 100W tube amp is equivalent of a 500W class D.
I just think a "watt is a watt", but 100W or 200W can be enough to gig with, with the right cab(s).

Maybe my comment was a little bit off topic, it was just a way of saying that if you are looking for a hybrid amp because you like the tube sound and not the weight, there are super lightweight tube amps nowadays. Not only the Reingold B100 (100W, 9kg) and the Pure Tone Amp Offset XL (100W, 7.1 kg) or Nautilus (120W, 8kg), but also now the Jad Freer Volta (200W, 13.5kg). I can gig with a 50W tube amp that weight only 4.2 kg, it as easy to carry as a class D amp so I'm able to take it anywhere
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That said, several NEW hybrid amps have been released since this thread was created:
Genzler Kinetix 800
Fuchs FBT-300 and FBT-700 amps
 
#96
DELACIUS said:
No no, I wasn't quoting you, just asked, do you think that after 500W of Aguilar, Rheingold B100 would be the same loudness/power?
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No I don't think a 100W tube amp is as loud as a 500W class D amp.

But, suppose you are using a 8 ohm cab, the class D amp is around 250W @ 8 ohm, while the tube amp remain at 100W.

The difference in loudness between 100 W and 250 W is probably less important than you could think, only around 4 decibels I believe. Less than the difference between an average and a very efficient cab.
 
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#97
agedhorse said:
I don't think so in this case, the tube gain stages are based on high voltage and very much like those on the SVT preamps.
Click to expand...

For the record: Our FBT preamp is SVT inspired (right down to the inductor based midrange switch), runs 300 volts B+, and uses tubes (2 tubes, 4 sections) plus a high voltage FET (that runs on tube voltages), to minimize microphonics (from vibration) and extraneous noise. The preamp tubes are run on DC filaments as well, again for low noise. A 40 second mute timer mutes the amp until the tubes stabilize. 6-lbs.
 
#98
FUCHSAUDIO said:
For the record: Our FBT preamp is SVT inspired (right down to the inductor based midrange switch), runs 300 volts B+, and uses tubes (2 tubes, 4 sections) plus a high voltage FET (that runs on tube voltages), to minimize microphonics (from vibration) and extraneous noise. The preamp tubes are run on DC filaments as well, again for low noise. A 40 second mute timer mutes the amp until the tubes stabilize. 6-lbs.
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I never mentioned your amp, I was specifically commenting on the SVT-7 Pro. Not sure why you brought up your product?
 
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